Chapter Thirty-Eight:
The Shadow Realm Exploration
Nicodemus
That night, as I slept, I went to the Shadow Realm. I walked in alone, and strolled down the street quietly with my hands buried deep in my pockets. It was dark, but everyone’s lights were still on. I was going to see Claude and Alice for a status report before this shit show we were facing Monday, but I decided I wanted to explore more. I snuck by their house before I took off into town, swinging my arms as I looked up at street lights. Some Shadows walked the streets; they greeted me with smiles or waves which I forced back. Eventually I got to a tiny grocery store, like the one from back home that Dad frequently bought his favorite snacks and such at.
A tiny bell signaled my entrance and made someone behind the counter pop up from a folding chair. “A Death Elemental? In my store?” The cashier laughed as she rounded the counter to shake my hand.
“Sorry if I’m intruding.” I said shyly.
“You’re not, I’m just surprised you're not with your Shadows?”
“I wanted to explore,” I said, shrugging, as she blinked twice at me.
“Hey, you're Nicodemus Crawford, right? Atlas’s son?”
“You know me?” I asked in shock.
“Everyone knows Grim’s son, especially one who’s as popular as his Dad! Come on, let me show you something!” She cried before she pulled me to the back and opened a door. It lead to a room with newspaper articles plastered to the walls that made my eyes widen in awe. All the one’s that covered the right wall were taglines with Dad and his Shadow Walkers, holding pictures of a man I couldn’t believe I was related to.
Teen saves world again!
First Death Elemental to ever defeat a Shadow Dragon!
Atlas Crawford is on fire!
Atlas Crawford becomes the next Grim Reaper!
Young Death Elemental’s daring escape from Chandler Academy!
I blinked, rereading the article, “What’s this about?”
The cashier spoke as if this were a normal, everyday conversation. “Atlas was trained at Seraphine’s father’s academy when he was a lot younger, formerly known as Chandler. He was there for sixteen years, and man did they torture him. When he finally left that place he spent a year in a mental asylum, but he recovered well. He also killed their headmaster, Philip McBride. He did some messed up stuff, but Atlas never talks about it.”
“Really?” I whispered, completely in shock.
“Everyone was so surprised he made it out alive. All of the horrible conspiracies finally came to light when Atlas escaped there, and it ruined the McBride name forever. He's a real strong man, and everyone here loves him,” she sang.
“I didn't know any of this?” I grumbled.
“It was rough time for the Shadow Realm. He spent a lot of time here, in this store, while he recovered. We would spend hours talking about Chandler, his wife, and the academy. I loved when he would visit me. He still does, quite frequently, and talks about you all the time.” She smiled, closing the door and walking back to the front as I paused to collect my thoughts.
I ghosted to the small bakery case and peered inside, my reflection deadpan, “Do you have any suggestions?” I numbly asked.
“The peanut meltdowns; your father worships them!” She laughed.
I paid for the brownies, thanked her, and left with a cold sigh. I had bought a dozen for the guys, and walked back to their houses slowly. I found, to my surprise, they were all in Claude and Alice’s house seated around the table. Instead of knocking I slid underneath the windowsill, listening intently to the conversation they were having.
{What are we gonna do? How can we help him?} May asked.
Alice let out a long sigh, [I feel horrible, for everything. This whole thing has torn him apart like string cheese.]
(The best we can do is train harder so we make sure this doesn't happen again, that Pandora doesn’t happen again. I mean there's four of us, how can we be this weak?) Claude snapped.
(Yeah, don’t remind me. He's so damn stubborn sometimes.)
(I understand that, it just kills me. I want to help...?)
[This is something we should talk to him about.] Alice pointed out.
{Talk to him? He's too busy talking to himself! He's crumbled, and none of us can help him!} May snapped, which made me frown and hug my legs to my chest.
[Just being here may be enough. Nicodemus needs to heal, and it will take time, May. We have to be patient with him. We’ve done it this long, so what's a little more time?]
(Yeah, but before he wasn't being hunted by that fucking bitch. Gods, I wish I told him sooner, I wish I did. I wish I could have protected him. For Gods sakes, she’s the one who trained me, and I let her hurt my Death Elemental. What kind of Shadow Walker can I call myself? We’re the real cause of his episode.) Claude morosely whispered, stirring cream into his cup vacantly.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
[Don’t remind me. If he had died that day... I would have never been able to forgive myself…] Alice choked.
{He didn’t, and that’s what’s important. Most of the team is back together, now, and that means we’re unstoppable. We waited thousands of years to find one another, and now that we have, I am absolutely not losing you all again. This resurrection is going to kick our asses, not to mention we’ll have two new teammates to worry about. We need to keep our focus on helping Nick deal with all of this, and be welcoming to whomever joins us.} May confidently said.
[And what's so wrong with that?] Alice barked.
(For now, our best bet is to see how things play out. Like May said, we’re together, which means we can protect him better than ever. I promised him at a very young age that he would never have to face this world alone, and I intend to keep that promise. Push comes shove, step in and have Atlas help him. I know we don’t want to rely on him, but he’s been Grim for a very long time, and he can help Nick in ways we can’t.)
[Everyone who agrees, say I?] Alice asked.
They all called I as Claude stood, (Anyone want more coffee?)
[Yes, please, thank you honey.]
I slowly stood and slid to the front door, sighing as I knocked twice. [Who could that be?] Alice answered, gasping, [Nicodemus! Hi honey!] She fakly called to warn the others I had arrived.
“Just a little while ago. Can I join the party?” I lied.
[Of course! Come on in, sweetie!] Alice shut the door behind me as I smiled and waved to everyone, plopping into an open seat.
“Not too shabby.”
“I bought brownies!” I cheered as I held the box up.
(But you just got here, right?) Claude laughed, ruffling my hair as he handed out refills to the Shadows and me my own cup.
“I went exploring a little,” I admitted, “to a little grocery store in town. The woman there told me some stuff about my Dad.”
[Like what?] Alice hesitantly asked.
“I think I know why he hates Seraphine so much now. He trained to become a God at her father’s academy, but I guess some really awful things happened to him and the other students while he was there. I don’t know the details, and frankly, I’m terrified to find out. When he finally escaped everything came to light, and the academy got shut down for good. He was in an asylum for a year because of it; well, an Elemental one that is, since Humans didn’t have them back then. I wish I’d known that…” I sighed morosely as I stirred sugar into my coffee.
[Well, it's not exactly your fault.] Alice offered.
“Yeah, but I kinda feel guilty for what I said the day Sebastian and I fought in the parking lot… I didn’t know he’s been though stuff similar to us…”
“You guys aren't helping,” I laughed.
Claude shrugged, biting his brownie, (My advice, take it a day at a time. You need to heal, and you need to regain your trust in Valyce.)
[Baby steps Nicodemus, baby steps.] Alice said like I was a child.
“There’s something we seriously need to talk about,” I began.
[Which is…?]
“Are you really ready, to deal with me?” I croaked.
(Buddy, what makes you think we aren’t ready to be by your side…?) Claude asked.
“I mean, soon, I’ll have completed all the steps… Not only am I going to become a God, but everyone now knows for sure that I'm the Successor of Endymion. The amount of problems that are going to arise from that…?”
{Who fucking cares?} May scoffed to my surprise, {Do you think we’re going to abandon you when you need us most? When have we ever not been there for you, Nicodemus? You are the closest thing we all have to a child, and we love you as if you were our own. We have been with you every step of the way, and we have no plans to change that.}
“The likelihood that I will live for a very long time is extremely strong. I know Elementals usually do, but everyone keeps saying that the ‘Successors’ are supposed to be practically immortal. You’ll be forever stuck in a loop of fighting…”
Claude reached over and took my hand, his eyes serious as he spoke, (I want you to listen, and listen well, Nicodemus. You don’t understand because you’re not a Shadow Walker, and that is perfectly normal, but for us, being by our ‘master’s’ side for eternity is what we hope and pray for every single day. Without you, our lives were in pure shambles. We spent thousands of years walking aimlessly amongst the dead, yearning to not only be together, but to have purpose. Death is supposed to be the sweet escape, the way one gets to paradise, and yet it was nothing but a pit of sadness and despair for us.
We were scattered so far from one another that we didn’t think we’d ever be with our family again. Not only have you brought us together, but you have given us what we’ve longed for, for years; a purpose. We have something to fight for, something to remind us that we do matter, and that what we did in life, and do in death, is worth the sacrifices. Ideally, no, we wouldn’t like to be dead; no one does. But if we’re forced to be this way, at least we can be together, all of us, including you.) He said with pure love and affection in his voice.
I smiled and squeezed his hand, sighing, “I wouldn’t want anyone else to be by my side, either. You all… are the closest people in my life. Dead or not you are people, beings with purpose, and feelings, and love. You will never be a forgotten memory, and I will never abandon you no matter what happens. Secrets or not… We are a team, and we will fight together.”
[That’s what we like to hear!] Alice cooed, kissing my temple with a smile.
Everyone murmured in agreement before May sighed softly, turning to me with lifeless eyes, {Does that mean you forgive us, for hiding what we did?}
I smirked and slid an arm around her tiny shoulders, shaking her once so she would giggle, “Come on, May-May, how could I ever stay mad at you?” I frowned slightly, sighing to myself, “I shouldn’t have tried to do what I did in the hospital. I just… I lost it. I utterly lost it…”
{Who can blame you? You’ve wanted answers behind your powers for years, and all of them were dumped on you in one day, and they’re completely life altering. Just remember, Nick, that you are your own person. You have a life to live and love, and despite this overwhelming pressure, you’re just a kid. Everyone is trying to preserve that innocence for you as long as possible, so whenever you have the chance, try and take advantage of it. We’ll cross bridges as we come to them, but let’s not go jogging towards them, ok?}
I scoffed a breathy laugh, staring into my coffee emptily, “Funny you say that. I have one more stop to make before trying to find Halcyon.”
[Where’s that?]
“I need to speak to Odysseus….” I croaked, tears slipping down my cheeks as the pain began to swell in my heart once more.